6th Article of Faith

[pam]

There have been many investigators using this website to get some basic doctrinal information about the Church. Each week I will post an Article of Faith so that the discussion of each can be done. Keep in mind..this is based on LDS doctrine and debating of that will not be tolerated. Let's try and make this more personal. Copy and paste is wonderful but reading personal testimony and understanding of this doctrinal subject is far more meaningful.

We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

[ztodd]

I don't really have anything real spiritual to say about it right now, but just thought I'd say... it just makes sense to me. (That Father would have a consistent organization for His church)

Of course the reason I believe in the church is not just because it makes sense, but becaf use of the witness of the Spirit. I particularly feel that Spirit when I hear or read the words of the prophets and apostles. They are wise beyond their years (and most of them are full of years).

[usdudeinuk]

Mormons are constantly apologizing for believing what they ->know<-. Few of us have taken time to read LeGrand Richard's "A Catholic Utterance" in Marvelous Work and a Wonder. It is only one page at the start of the book and so few are touched by it's brilliance.

I get frustrated when people from other religions tell us this in an inappropriate structure and naming convention.

Christ was on the Earth and with the help of the twelve preached the true and proper gospel from at least 30-110AD. 110AD was when John was lifted from the Island of Patmos. The world at that time didn’t have the aid of the printing press, TV, or Internet so by 46AD it is common knowledge there was a massive division in what was the (Catholic) Church causing false doctrines to be preached, which have really never settled to this day. In the year 325AD a number of bishops met at the Council of Nicea and their job was simple and everyone knew the problem. The church had broken into so many forms these poor bishops had to sit down and read the scriptures and from them determine what was the true and accurate gospel. The problem was without revelation from God they never could get it right, because all they could do was make up the doctrine as they went along. It is from this meeting we get many strange ideas still taught in many Christian churches today.

We, as Mormons don’t have this problem we know by revelation that Joseph Smith clearly and distinctly saw two personages who told him exactly how the church needed to be run and rebuilt to its former glory.

Many will say that 1 man saying he saw God or an angel is not uncommon and Joseph Smith was insane, but are often unaware that 12 others heard the voice and held the plates, making 13 witnesses in all.

[hadl]

That reminds me of D&C 20:12 "Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen" The Lords church today would have the same organization as the church did when it was established because it would be the same church. Things in heaven are done by order,as well as in the church we follow that order today and we should have a testimony of the 6th AofF and if you don't pray for it and you can. Without that testimony it would be hard to sustain or belive in our church leaders.

[VisionOfLehi]

What's awesome is that this same organization as the Primitive Church includes the fact that Christ the Messiah is at the Head.

[PapilioMemnon]

I still remember when I was taking the lessons from the missionaries and they began to explain the organization of the Church. I was in complete awe... becuase I had found what I had been longing for all those years; the true Church of the Lord, and all basic structure & teachings restored with prophets and apostles... When they left, I immediately began searching all things on my Bible that referred to the church organization: the prophets that had been called, the prieshood, when Jesus called and ordained the 12, organized the seventies, gave them authority to preach and do all things in His name, etc... the ordinances of baptism by immersion & the gift of the Holy ghost, the book of Acts... I really don't have words to describe what I felt and the magnitude of coming to that knowledge, of finding IT! I felt, among many other things, humbled, that I had been directed to find it; I was and still am in awe...

I know and testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints is the true Church of Jesus Christ, and that it's been restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith in these latter days. It's indeed a marvelous and glorious work, and I am humbled to have found it, and be a part of it.

Some scripture references:

LINK: Topical Guide: Church Organization

See also Jesus Christ, Head of the Church; Stake

Gen. 14: 18 Melchizedek . . . was the priest of the most high God.

Ex. 18: 21 able men . . . to be rulers of thousands.

Ex. 24: 9 (Num. 11: 16) Moses, and Aaron . . . and seventy of the elders of Israel.

Num. 27: 18 (Deut. 34: 9) take thee Joshua . . . and lay thine hand upon him.

Deut. 27: 1 Moses with the elders of Israel.

Josh. 4: 4 Joshua called the twelve men.

Matt. 16: 18 upon this rock I will build my church.

Luke 6: 13 (Luke 6: 12-16) chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.

Luke 10: 1 Lord appointed other seventy.

John 15: 16 have chosen you, and ordained you.

Acts 1: 25 take part of this ministry and apostleship.

Acts 6: 6 when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

Acts 13: 1 there were in the church . . . prophets and teachers.

Acts 14: 23 ordained them elders in every church.

Acts 15: 6 apostles and elders came together.

1 Cor. 12: 27 ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Eph. 2: 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

Eph. 4: 11 gave some, apostles, and some, prophets.

Philip. 1: 1 with the bishops and deacons.

Titus 1: 5 ordain elders in every city.

1 Ne. 4: 26 supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church.

Mosiah 18: 17 called the church of God, or the church of Christ.

Mosiah 26: 8 Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church.

Alma 4: 7 consecrated to be teachers, and priests, and elders.

3 Ne. 11: 21 I give unto you power that Ye shall baptize.

3 Ne. 12: 1 the number of them who had been called.

3 Ne. 13: 25 they whom I have chosen to minister.

3 Ne. 18: 5 shall one be ordained among you.

3 Ne. 27: 3 name whereby we shall call this church.

4 Ne. 1: 1 disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ.

Moro. 3: 1 elders of the church, ordained priests and teachers.

D&C 20: 38 the duty of the elders, priests, teachers, deacons.

D&C 21: 3 which church was organized and established.

D&C 26: 2 done by common consent in the church, by much prayer.

D&C 68: 14 bishops to be set apart unto the church.

D&C 84: 29 the offices of elder and bishop are necessary.

D&C 84: 109 therefore, let every man stand in his own office.

D&C 124: 123 officers belonging to my Priesthood.

A of F 6 We believe in the same organization.

See also Num. 27: 17; 3 Ne. 15: 12; 3 Ne. 19: 20.

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LINK:Topical Guide: Jesus Christ, Head of the Church

Matt. 16: 18 (3 Ne. 18: 16; 3 Ne. 21: 22; 3 Ne. 27: 8; D&C 5: 14; D&C 10: 67; D&C 11: 16; D&C 18: 5; D&C 30: 6; D&C 39: 13; D&C 41: 3; D&C 42: 59; D&C 43: 15; D&C 45: 1; D&C 69: 3; D&C 84: 32; D&C 104: 1; D&C 115: 3; D&C 119: 2; D&C 124: 41, 94; D&C 133: 4, 16; D&C 136: 41) upon this rock I will build my church.

Eph. 1: 22 gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

Eph. 4: 15 which is the head, even Christ.

Eph. 5: 23 even as Christ is the head of the church.

Col. 1: 18 he is the head of the body, the church.

Mosiah 26: 22 (Mosiah 27: 13) this is my church.

Moro. 6: 4 the church of Christ . . . who was the author.

D&C 33: 5 this church have I established.

See also Rom. 16: 16; 1 Cor. 12: 27; 1 Ne. 14: 12; 2 Ne. 25: 14; Mosiah 18: 17; Alma 1: 19; 4 Ne. 1: 1; 4 Ne. 1: 29; Moro. 7: 3.

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LINK: Topical Guide: Stake

Isa. 33: 20 not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed.

Isa. 54: 2 (3 Ne. 22: 2) lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.

Moro. 10: 31 (D&C 82: 14) strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders.

D&C 68: 25 in any of her stakes which are organized.

D&C 101: 21 called stakes, for the curtains or the strength.

D&C 109: 59 appoint unto Zion other stakes besides this one.

D&C 115: 6 gathering together upon . . . Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense.

D&C 115: 18 other places should be appointed for stakes.

D&C 124: 134 presidents or servants over different stakes.

D&C 133: 9 that her stakes may be strengthened.

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LINK: Articles of Faith 1: 6

[sixpacktr]

The neat thing is that AoF 6 derives its truth from AoF 5. Men are to be called of God to fill these positions: apostle, patriarch, bishop, etc. And if we hold AoF5 to be true, then it follows that we would follow the same org that Christ used in the Church of Jesus Christ of Meridian of Time Saints.

What truly inspires me is someone like Peter. I hope to be as fearless and rock solid as he was. I was thinking, this was a man that worked in the fishing industry. I'm not sure if you guys have had a chance to work with fishermen at any time, but I did many years ago as a summer job. Tough guys. Rough guys. Very rough around the edges. Peter had to be one of these guys (as were James and John, I feel). Yet, when shown a better path, they took it without hesitation. And Christ molded him over 3 years until Peter became the 1st President of the Church, with James and John as counselors. Again, the Lord sees the heart, knew that Peter had the qualities to lead even if Peter didn't.

I'm sure that there were some that felt that Peter wasn't 'prophet' material either. How wrong they were.